The business programme of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will take place on 5–8 June 2024, will feature an expert discussion on the development of modern health-saving technologies – tools for managing biological age and advancements in longevity medicine to improve the quality of life.

“The demographic goals set for us by the President of the Russian Federation require us to focus on the development of health preservation technologies, the advancement of medical science, and the introduction of cutting-edge healthcare methods into medical practice. The Health Preservation Technologies national project is aimed at supporting research activities in the field of practical medicine and future technologies,” noted Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova.

The expert discussion “Biological Age Management: Myth or Reality” will take place as part of the Healthy Life business programme in the SPIEF Healthy Life Area. Biological age is the evaluation of the overall state of the human body, not only in terms of chronological age, but also in terms of functional and biological markers. Research indicates that biological age may differ from chronological age and be a better indicator of a person’s health and degree of aging. Participants in the session will discuss the following questions: What does the concept of “biological age” mean? What innovative methods and techniques can be used to measure biological age? How can we successfully rejuvenate our bodies and slow down the aging process? And what are the implications of biological age management for the health care system?

The session will be moderated by Olga Krivonos, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation, Laureate of the Government Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology. “Our biological age depends on a multitude of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and the environment in which we live. Developing methods for assessing our biological age and creating technologies that could impact it will bring us closer to the goal of slowing down the aging process and improving the quality of life, thus allowing us to be active and healthy for longer,” Olga Krivonos said.

The session is scheduled for 11:00 on 6 June 2024 and will take place in pavilion G, conference hall G3. 

The Health-Saving Technologies: The Road to Longevity session is being held as part of the “Healthy Society, Traditional Values and Social Development: The Priority of the State” thematic track of the SPIEF business programme. The discussion will be moderated by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova.

In the minds of medical doctors and the general public, “medicine” is typically associated with “illnesses.” That is, the emphasis is on diagnosis and treatment. However, today, with better access to information, more and more people are looking for ways to stay young and healthy and thus avoid getting ill in the first place. The disease-centric model thus needs to be changed to a model that focuses on promoting health and is aimed at increasing longevity and preventing illnesses from actively developing. This is a global phenomenon that is becoming increasingly popular in Russia too. After all, it was the Russian biologist Alexey Olovnikov who developed the first measurable theory of cell aging, called telomeric theory, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2009. The development of medical technologies will both increase life expectancy and improve the quality of life, allowing us to be active and healthy for longer. In order to do this, we need to understand the reasons that lead to cell aging and how to prevent it. Further, we need to start using these methods in early adulthood to allow the individual to remain active for as long as possible.

The session is scheduled for 12:00 on 7 June 2024 and will take place in pavilion G, conference hall G4.